Public meeting Feb. 3 to discuss artist certification process, application timeline. 15 of the 100 units in the development to be designated affordable. 5 of the 15 affordable units are for certified artists.

The Somerville Arts Council and the Housing Division of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development announced this week a public meeting to discuss a first-of-its-kind housing opportunity for Somerville artists. On Wed., Feb. 3, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Armory at 191 Highland Ave., City staff will present information about five (5) affordable rental units for certified artists as artist live/work space. The 5 affordable artist units are included in the 15 total affordable housing units to be offered through the City’s Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, but are the first of their kind to be offered specifically to income eligible artists in Somerville.

UPDATE: Somerville Police Department have taken the suspect into custody peacefully.

Early this morning, during a federal law enforcement operation, an 18 year old male Somerville resident who is a known criminal MS 13 gang member escaped federal custody while being transported in Somerville. A search is currently underway by the Somerville Police Department and federal agencies. The suspect is not armed and was handcuffed when he escaped custody. While there is not believed to be a threat to the community, please be aware that there is a heightened law enforcement presence, particularly in the Union Square area.

Somerville High School’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods will be performed on February 4, 5, and 6 at the Somerville High School Auditorium. — Logo design by Dylan Alvarado

By Jessica Kenney

Somerville High School will be performing their production of the musical Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The film version of the Broadway hit Into the Woods premiered in theaters on December 25, 2014. The story is about a baker and his wife who are left childless due to a curse from a once-beautiful witch. Three days before the blue moon, the husband and wife venture into the forest in order to find the ingredients that will reverse the spell and grant the witch her beauty once again. The ingredients are a milk-white cow, hair as yellow as corn, a blood-red cape, and a slipper made of gold. During their trip “into the woods”, they come across Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack. Each of these characters is on a mission to fulfill a wish.

The Somerville High School Art Club, National Art Society and Art Major students all worked with the City Hall Wellness committee on a new 3 x 18 foot painted mural at City Hall.

By Tom Bannister

On March 12, celebrate Somerville’s annual Maple Syrup Boil Down Festival. Community members of all ages are invited to the Community Growing Center at 22 Vinal Avenue between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to watch and learn for free as sap from local sugar maple trees is boiled down into pure maple syrup over a warm fire. Attendees can expect syrup tasting, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and more. Waffles, hot drinks, and Maple Syrup Project T-shirts and posters will be on sale.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

One of the reasons I have attended Martin Luther King Day celebrations in Somerville is to see the many levels of achievement in the presentations: young musicians mastering instruments and scores in his honor, essayists reading their thoughts bout the significance of his life and a community of adults not only ensuring overall coherence but also contributing their historical sense of MLK’’s impact. Embedded in the day’s events was the sense that all could succeed.

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

This week we unveiled our plans for the design of Lincoln Park. It features a natural grass recreation field, lighted pedestrian pathways, and an activity corridor with community gardens, skateboard and Parkour activity areas, a new basketball court, adventure style playgrounds, and a water splash pad. The park also includes more than 150 new trees, plenty of seating, an updated ballfield, and an off-leash recreation area for dogs. On top of that it will have a 1.26 million gallon subsurface stormwater management system to help reduce flooding in the surrounding area, and rain gardens that will capture and reuse stormwater. We worked closely with the community to develop these plans, trying to balance recreational needs with open/green space needs, and we’re proud of the results.

The SHS Girls Track Team made a splash at the statewide Coaches Invitational and Elite meet this past weekend.

By Louise Carpenter

The Somerville High Girls Track team participated in the statewide Coaches Invitational and Elite meet on Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

Participating on Saturday were Youdine Felix and Lourdes Jean-Louis who both competed in the 55m dash and the long jump, along with Jackie Eloi who competed in the 55m hurdles. All three girls qualified for this meet with their performances throughout the season.

By Haley ED Houseman

Planned renovations for Lincoln Park were presented to the public on Monday evening. (click to enlarge)

The final plans for the Lincoln Park renovations were presented Monday evening at Argenziano School in an open house meeting. City officials invited the community to hear the final design and speak to officials involved in the project. Lincoln Park is one of Somerville’s oldest green spaces and is very popular with residents of the neighborhood and adjacent school.

— Photo courtesy of MassSolar.

By State Representative Denise Provost

The Background:

In 2008, our legislature adopted laws committing MA to lower its carbon emissions (the “Global Warming Solutions Act”), through actions that would increase our use of renewable energy (the “Green Communities Act”). To optimize the production of electric power through solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, our legislation required electricity distribution companies to purchase surplus solar energy from producers at the retail rate (what consumers pay for electricity.) The ability of solar producers – including homeowners with rooftop solar – to pay a “net” electric bill (the cost of the power you purchased, minus cost of power you sold back to the grid) is how “net metering” works.